Summer 2015 - Wrapping It Up

Anna and Heather

My good friend, Anna G., her husband, Shane, and 5 kids (ages 3-12) were in the area and stopped in for a few hours one afternoon in early August.  They moved back to Japan just over a year ago after living in Tuscon, AZ for 5 years.  Anna and I competed against in each in high school, met while running around the track in the MTC and later became teammates at USU after we both returned from serving full-time missions.  Twenty years later, we still keep in touch and I love the moments we are able to get together.  Always so much to talk about - so little time!  She continues to be an inspiration to me.

Haley and Brinley

After returning from the P. family reunion, Brinley had a day to pack up and head out for girl's camp held at Reunion Flats this year (Aug. 5-8).

 Everybody wore scrubs to go along with their ER theme (Eternal Rewards).

 Love this picture of Brinley rappelling.  

Some of the young women leaders are avid outdoors women so arranging this came quite naturally to them (no pun intended:).

 The older girls did a great job of including and helping the younger and less-active girls feel a part of the group.  We have real diversity among our young women and all of their leaders are saintly!

Brinley returned home on Saturday (Aug. 8) while the rest of us (except Aaron) were in CV for Sadie's baptism.

First trip to Lagoon this summer for me and Jantzen.

Determined to get our money's worth from the summer Lagoon passes and wanting to spend more time with family still in the CV area, I packed up the kids (no Brinley) and left town for a few days (Aug. 6-8).

Tanner, Tiffany, Jantzen, Korinne, Anna, Jenna, Britton, Heather
Elsie, Abigail, Jameson, Quinn

We spent a fun day together at the Lagoon Amusement Park with Tif & Abigail and Hilary and her kids but returned to CV in time to celebrate Sadie's 8th birthday.

Sadie - 8th birthday

Lining up from youngest to oldest.

All that is needed to make a party official is a piñata.

Sometimes anticipation is the best part about pinatas!

Afterwards, we sang Happy Birthday to Sadie and enjoyed some cake and ice cream.

The dress-ups at G-ma P's are always popular.   

She has a wall of hooks holding a variety of hats - some are heirloom treasures.

Hilary, Libbie, McKay, Heather, G-pa P, Tif

We filled every possible moment with conversation knowing that soon enough everybody would be catching return flights across the country.  Taylor and Jen had already returned to China.

Anna and Jenna

Notice something different about their smiles?  

Anna had braces put on (July 28) about the time Jenna had her braces removed.  Anna was a real trooper after having 4 teeth pulled earlier in the week.

Elsie, Abigail, Jameson

Britton & Jantzen - both age 13 (for a few weeks anyway)

Thomas, Benson, Cameron, Jessica - faraway cousins

Thomas & Sadie

Xander & Tanner - the oldest and youngest hanging out together

Jenna (12), Jessica (10), Anna (11)

Cousins are the best!

Saturday morning (Aug. 8) Hilary took McKay and I on a bike ride.  The weather was perfect for our ride and the hills at the end were an awesome way to finish our workout.  Wish we would have snapped a picture of us in our get-ups.   Later that afternoon, we attended Sadie's baptismal service.

Elsie (July 6) & Sadie (Aug. 7)

These cousins are the closest in age - one month apart. 

Too bad they don't get to see each other very often!

Jenna, Jessica, Sadie, Abigail, Korinne, Elsie, Anna

It was a special day for family to be gathered once again.

Libbie, Sadie, G-ma P

Nice to have a little extra time to visit with extended family members before parting ways for another few years.  Our time together always goes by so quickly.

 Our garden has really produced this year.  I pretty much gave up trying to harvest all of the green beans and sugar snap peas! The zucchini and tomatoes have been amazing.  The red potatoes provided a mediocre yield which is to be expected in garden boxes I suppose.  Some of the cucumbers were bitter but we used all the spinach in our daily green smoothies - along with beet greens and swiss chard.  The peppers keep getting picked before they turn orange/red but we use them no matter.  There is more food yet to be processed.

 Jantzen's birthday gift was finally installed.  What can I say?  It has been a busy season for all of us - especially Aaron and putting up this hoop is not in my department.

 Also on the bucket list, riding the 4-wheelers with Dad.  This seems simple enough but as is often the case, this took some effort to make happen because both of our 4-wheelers have been out of commission this summer.  Special thanks (again) to Aaron for making this happen!

 Unlike many of our neighbors, we are conservative with allowing our children free use of our recreational motor vehicles.  Anna has been waiting for her turn to drive! 

Banner moment in Anna's book.

Robert & Tanner

Grade school friends from Carden Memorial School nearly 10 years ago, Robert R. connected with Tanner a few years ago through social media and was committed to making a visit to our area this summer.  His father is battling cancer so Robert has stayed close to home for a while. He really looked forward to this adventure all summer long.  Tanner did an outstanding job keeping them busy during Robert's stay.  He arranged for a campus tour, showed him around town, attended the temple one afternoon, shopped in IF with me (extra exciting), introduced him to friends at a BBQ, etc.  While Tanner had cross-country practice, Robert joined me and the younger four children at the local water park for a few hours.  Robert is an accomplished artist and musician with an engineering mind. He thoroughly enjoyed spending time with our family and trying new things.

 Saturday morning (Aug. 22) Aaron and Tanner took Robert horse-back riding up in the mountains for a few hours.  They were part of a small group (8 riders total) led by Jim B. in our ward.  This was just one of the many new experiences Robert enjoyed.

Aaron, Tanner, Robert

 Although it's been a few years since Aaron's saddled up, it didn't take long to remember how much he enjoys riding.  His happy place really is being out in nature.

 The boys packed a picnic lunch and drove through the beautiful Mesa Falls area before returning home in time to take Robert to catch his shuttle bus home.  As we said our good-byes, Robert slipped us a beautifully hand-written note expressing his appreciation for the time spent in our home.  Often it is the small and simple things that make the biggest difference in people's lives.